Original Item: Only One Available. In 1898 with the new Mauser bolt action infantry rifle the Military adopted this long bayonet which gave an Infantryman the ability to bring a Cavalryman down from his horse due to the bayonets long reach. Of course Cavalry was soon becoming a thing of the past and these long bayonets were being surpassed by different and shorter versions. At the start of WW1 in 1914 this Gew 98 long bayonet was the norm.
Our example here bears a German acceptance proof mark on the back of the blade and is Maker marked to C.G.HAENEL of SUHL , surname faint and is regimentally marked on the cross guard: B.12.R.160 indicating Infantry Regiment, 12th Company, with “160” being the individual weapon number.
The first model had a grip made of one single piece of wood, which was wrapped around the tang. This is called a.A. which means in German alter Art (old type). At the turn of the century the Germans simplified and strengthened their bayonet grips. The new type is called n.A. (neu Art) and the grip was made of two halves from wood. The two-piece grips were introduced in 1902. These improvements were common for all the Military models of bayonets.
The bayonet shows old pitting on the cross guard quillon and the first 2 of the blade and is complete with its WW1 all steel Ersatz scabbard the bottom of which shows to the very tip. All in all a nice example of the first model Gew 98 Bayonet of WW1 with most uncommon Ersatz steel scabbard.